Solar tour today showcases technology

October 04, 2008|Tribune Staff Report

MIDDLEBURY Homes and businesses in the Michiana area will be open to the public in conjunction with a national tour conducted by the American Solar Energy Society to introduce the public to solar technologies. The Michiana Area Solar Tour, organized by Home & Mobile Energy of Middlebury, will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today . It will include 10 homes and businesses in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. The tour is intended to give residents a glimpse at how local families are going solar. The American Solar Energy Society has been leading the renewable energy revolution for more than 50 years . It is the nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the use of solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies The stops are: -The Burkey/Piepenbrink home, 1895 S. County Road 600 West, Topeka; -Nafziger home, 1807 Mayflower Road, Goshen; -The Oakley home, 716 S. 11th St., Goshen; -The Shantz home, 60728 County Road 27, Goshen; -SPI/Inovateus Solar Test, 19890 State Line Road, South Bend; -The Kanczuzewski home, 50610 Lilac Road, South Bend; -First Federal Savings Bank, 906 W. Edison Road, Mishawaka; -Stillwater Community, 3035 Niles-Buchanan Road, Buchanan; -The Vandenheede home, 639 N. 13th St., Niles; -Midwest Energy, 901 E. State St., Cassopolis. This event is free and open to the public. Details about the tour and maps are available at www.homeandmobileenergy.com and www.nationalsolartour.org.